Mineral classifying and concentrating apparatus



W. W. RICHARDSON MINERAL CLASSIFYING AND CONCENIRATING APPARATUS Apr. 3, 1923. 1,450,515

Filed Sept. 25, 1920 2 sheets-sheet 1 Apr. 3, 1923.

W. W. RICHARDSON MINERAL CLASSIFYINOI AND CONCENTRATING APPARATUS File d Sept,

25, 1920 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Apr 1923.

U N l I AI orrics.

WILLIAM WHITEHEAD RICHARDSON, 'OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

MINERAL CLASSIFYING AND CONGEN'IRATING APPARATUS.

Application filed September 25, 1920. Serial No. 412,798. i

- trating apparatus.

In order to obtain effective extraction of mineral values and at the same time maintain a useful capacity by means of a rotating cylinder lined with grooved plates, I have invented the apparatus in form as is hereinafter described.

According to the present invention I employ a special arrangement and construction of trommel comprising a series of short cylinders or drums connected together end to end. These short cylinders or drums are of two sizes which alternate so that the trommel comprises a series of cylinders or drums in 'which there is first alarge and then a small and then a large cylinder or drum, a small cylinderor drum alternating between each pair of large cylinders or drums. Either the large or thesmall cylinders are arranged concentric with each other upon the same axis about which the trommel as a whole is adapted to be rotated, whilst the intermediate cylinders or (drums are arranged eccentric to the alternateconcentric cylinders and these eccentric cylinders are so arranged that their centres are spaced around the axis of the concentric cylinders,.

so that eachsuccessive eccentric cylinder is slightly in advance of or behind the adjacent eccentric cylinder.

Whenthe trommel is rotated about vthe axis of the concentric cylinders the eccentric cylinders willtravel an eccentric pathwhilst ;rotating, and the pitch of the centres of these eccentric cylinders is such theta line connecting their centres will form. a helical path round the axis of the eccentric cylinders. A c0nvenientarrangement of thcseeccentric cylinders is to set thecentre of each one 90 in advance orbehind the centre of the adjacent eccentriccylinder.

SA icomplete trommel o may .be made up "Of any number of such alternate concentric and eccentric cylinders arranged as described and if desired these short cylindersor drums may increase or decrease progressively in diameter from end to end of the trommelyor they may be made to vary in batches or blocks, a suitable number of short cylinders or drums of equal dimensions "being connected to another batch or block of such drums of a larger or smaller dimension and other such blocks of cylinders or drums being connected end to end so as to form the whole trommel.

Instead of employing eccentric drums "or cylinders between the concentric drums, I may employ a series of eccentric divisions or walls arranged in a cylinder or cylinders so as to form a number of compartments separated by eccentric "divisions, which eccentric divisions may be spaced in advance offer behind each other as already. described in connection with the eccentric drums.

The cylinders or drums which are connected endtoendin anysuitable manner to form the complete trommel,are formed from or lined with rilfle plates bent toa cylindrical formation. These riffle plates are provided with aseries of shallow grooves -running circumferentiallyroundthe interior of the riflie plates and small pockets orrecesses are formed at intervals in the base of these circumferential grooves for the retention of the values to be separated fromthe material treated. These pockets are arranged inthe bottom ofthe grooves andare provided with substantially square or upright Walls at their ends so as to receive andretain the values extracted from the 'material.

In a modification these pockets maybe provided with a substantially square or upstanding wall at one end and an inclined lead in at 'the other end, which inclined face is arranged atthe front of the pocket in reference to the direction of travel. The various short cylinders or drums Which .form the tronnnel may be flanged fandconnected together in any suitable jmanner or other meansniay be employed for building up the trommel in the form described.

In order that the invention may be' more readily understood reference is made to the accompanying sheet of illustrative 'dr'aW- 'ings in whllli f V 1 Fig. '1 is a longitudinal section of aperflanged at 8 and connected together is built up of a series of short cylinders or drums, comprising large drums 2 and smaller drums 3, the smaller drums 3 being arranged between successive pairs of the larger drums 2 so that the drums '2 and 3 alternate. The larger drums 2 are here shown arranged concentric with each other upon the same axis whilst the intermediate drums 3 are arranged eccentric with the larger drums 2 and each of the succeeding smaller eccentric drums 3 are spaced 90 in advance of the previous smaller drum 3 so that the centre of each eccentric drum is progressively spaced 90 inadvance of the previous one.

Fig.2 shows the eccentric drums 3 spaced at 90 apart and having their centres successivelysituated at 4, 5, 6 and 7 and the corresponding outlines of each of the eccentric drums 3 are shown in full lines, dotted lines, dot and dash lines and double dot and dash lines. The adjacent drums 2 and 3 are in any suitable manner end to end as shown in Fig. 1. I v

The trommel is shown mounted so as to rotate upon rollers 1 upon horizontal shafts supported in a frame. These shafts may be driven by belts from a suitable motor.

Referring now to Figs. 8, 4 and 5, each of the drums 2 and 3 is formed from riftle plates 9 having a series of longitudinal grooves 10 therein. These plates 9 are bent or otherwise suitably formed to the shape of a short cylindrical drum so that the grooves 10 run circlnnferentially around the interior of the drums 2 or 3.

intervals These grooves 10 are formed with slightly rounded edges 11 leading into the grooves,

and recesses or pockets 12 are provided at in the base of each groove 10. These pockets 12 are pressed out or otherwise formed in the base of each groove 10 so as to have substantially square or upright ends 13.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modified form of pocket 14 having one upstanding or substantially vertical end 15 and an inclined end 16 which is intended to lead in the direction. of rotation.

In so far as capacity is concerned this form of construction will allow cylindrical sections Which Willgive the best average proportions, and the grade to promote continuous and rapid flow is produc d by the eccentric position of the smaller diameters to the larger diameters, whereby each smaller section, once in each revolution raises its load which by action of the water is washed off into the lower channel formed. by th following larger section, and in th s way it may be said that a spiral path is formed which causes the solids to travel outwards.

The extraction of values is greatly accelerated through separation due to the periodical immersion of the solids which are 1nclined to gather and ride dry on the rising side of the cylinder. and this is effected as each pair of small and large sections are at the extreme dili erence of entres when the vertical position is reached. I

These values which are separated from the dirt seek the bottom and find their way first into the grooves and subsequently into the small pockets in the bottom of the grooves. and the values are further prevented from being washed outward by the protection of the channels formed by the difference in diameters of the cylindrical sections.

I claim p r 1. In mineral classifying and concentrating apparatus,- a rotatable trommel comprising a series of cylindrical spaced drums an ranged concentrically to a common axis, and a series of- *ylindrical drums arranged L l-- ternately between the drums of the first mentioned series and each successively angle lariy displaced eccentrically of said common axis, the drums of the first series being of different diameter to the drums of the second series. I

2. In mineral classifying and concentrating apparatus, a rotatable trommel comprising a series of cylindrical spaced drums arranged concentrically to a common axis a series of cylindrical drums arranged alternately between the drums of the first mentioned series and each successively angularly displaced ecccntrically of said common axis and riffle plates forming the interior wall of each of said drun' s, and having circumferential grooves. A

3. In mineral classifying andconcentrating apparatus, a rotatable trommel comprising a series of cylindrical spaced drums arranged concentrically to a common axis. a series of cylindrical drums arranged alternately between the drums of the first mentioned series and riflle plates forming the interior walls of each of said drums, and having circumferential grooves and pockets located at spaced intervals apart in the bottom of said grooves.

4:. In mineral classifying and concentrating apparatus, a rotatable trommel comprising a series of cylindrical spaced drums arranged concentrically to a common axis, a

series of cylindrical drums arranged alterw y betwe n t drums at t e first mentionedseries, the drums of the first series being of different -diameter to the drums of the second series, and riflle plates forming the interior walls of each of said drums, and having circumferential grooves, and pockets in said grooves each formed with substantially square upstanding faces.

5. In mineral classifying and concentrating apparatus, a rotatable trommel, comprising a series of cylindrical spaced drums, riffie plates forming the interior walls of each of said drums, circumferential grooves in said riflle plates, and pockets located at spaced intervals apart in the base of each of said grooves, each of said pockets having at least one of its upstanding edges formed substantially square.

6. In mineral classifying and concentrating apparatus, a rotatable trommel having the interior wall thereof formed of riflie plates provided with circumferential grooves, and pockets in the base of each of said grooves said pockets having a substantially square upstanding rear edge and an inclined leading edge.

7. In mineral classifying and concentrating apparatus, a rotatable trommel, comprising a series of cylindrical drums arranged at spaced intervals apart and concentrically with relation to the axis of said trommel, a second series of cylindrical drums located at spaced intervals apart and each disposed alternately with the drums of the first series, the drums of the second series being located eccentrically of the axis of the trommel and each successively angularly displaced with reference to the adjacent trommel of the same series.

8. In mineral classifying and concentrating apparatus, a rotatable trommel comprising a series of cylindrical drums arranged at spaced intervals apart, and concentric with the axis of said trommel, a series of eccentric ring divisions between each of said drums and each connected end to end with adjacent drums, rifile plates forming a lining for said drums and pockets located at spaced intervals circumferentially, each of said pockets being formed with an inclined leading edge and a substantially square upstanding rear edge. v

9. In mineral classifying and concentrating apparatus, a rotatable trommel comprising a series of cylindrical drums connected end to end and extending the whole length of the trommel each alternate drum being disposed concentrically with the axis of said trommel, and each drum between said concentrically disposed drums being angularly located eccentrically of the axis of the trommel, the eccentrica-lly located drums being successively displaced angularly throughout the length of the trommel, cylindrically curved rifile plates forming a lining for the interior of each of said drums, and pockets located at spaced intervals circumferentially in each of said plates.

WILLIAM WHITEHEAD RICHARDSON. 

